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#7 tOSU at #8 Iowa, Thurs 7 ET on ESPN

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buckmouse said:
Garza will get his share but limiting the others will be priority (and keeping out of foul trouble).....
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Yeah, I’m OK with Garza getting 30 as long as it takes him 25 shots to get there, and he doesn’t get a couple of Buckeyes to foul out, and they don’t double him constantly so other guys get wide-open 3s.
 
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BATTLE OF THE FRONTCOURTS
The past couple of years, Holtmann thinks Garza deserves credit as college basketball’s best player.

“I don't think that's an overstatement,” he said.

It isn’t. He could have won National Player of the Year last season when Dayton’s Obi Toppin earned the honors, and he’ll almost certainly get awarded the title later this spring. As Holtmann said, the Buckeyes haven’t faced anybody like him yet this season.

So, matching up with Garza and Wieskamp will be nothing less than a major test for E.J. Liddell, Kyle Young and Zed Key, the trio of forwards whose level of play has the potential to swing this game in their direction.

“Collectively, their size is a concern,” Holtmann said.

Liddell has taken a turn toward becoming a legitimate star in the Big Ten, scoring at least 20 points in three straight games and in four of his past five, and he’ll need another big game on both ends of the court on Thursday. His three-level scoring will have to remain consistent. Young’s energy and grit, along with improved finishing around the rim, make him a key cog as usual. Key will get some minutes too, whether matched up against Garza or somebody else.



“He’s the best collection of offensive skill and physicality of any big I’ve ever coached against,” Holtmann said Wednesday. “I’ve coached against Carolina and their bigs a lot, we coached against them in the Sweet 16 when they won the national championship that year and they had a great collection of bigs, but his motor, it’s unparalleled. It really is Tyler Hansbrough-like with his motor and his physicality.

“When I say he’s been the best player in college basketball over the last couple of years, a lot of great players in college basketball, but I don’t think that’s an overstatement. He’s a fantastic talent.”

“It’s a game where, quite honestly, I would love to have Ibrahima available,” Holtmann said. “Just to have another big with size and length around the rim. I thought of that, this is kind of a perfect game to have another body like that that has some length and size.”
 
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